Remember Missle Pops?

It's Thrift Store Friday!

As some of you may know, each family at Dominic's school is required to volunteer 48 hours of service time through the school year. We're already racking in the hours for the coming school year. Rudy finds pleasure in working at the SJV Thrift Store. (It's a numbers thing.) I'm afraid each time he volunteers to work that he'll come home with some piece of junk that we don't need laying around the house. Last time it was more flashlights! We don't need flashlights. Rudy must get about 3 of them EACH after-Christmas sale each year. He has a fetish.

Anyhow, along with some Corning/Pyrex cookware (mainly for his mom) he got something for Dominic....

It may be 90 degrees outside,
but it's even hotter on a flannel blanket!
...and yes, I prewashed it before I let them have it.

And, Dominic spent a good portion of the day in his box. Folks, the air quality here is very smoky, due to many wild fires burning in Northern California. It's been nearly a week of unhealthy air and we're cooped up indoors. I am so looking forward to nights with fresh air coming in the open windows, and days where the kids can go out and ride their bikes in the backyard, play with their squirt guns, run through the sprinklers, etc.

Here's what our Saturday looks like....yuk!

A box of fun!

Dominic has been getting a lot of newsworthy blog posts lately. He's been quite entertaining since he's been out of school and staying with me for the rest of my maternity leave. This is it! Next week, he's outta here....and off to daycare with his brothers and cousins.

Dominic's favorite hangout this week has been inside a cardboard box. Whatever! Wish I had a box to hide in sometimes. I threw in some Devin pics just because he's so darn cute. Donovan's been a pill lately... he'll get his blog time later.

...he's even decorated it himself!
You know... gotta have that homely feel.

Sure, they get along just great.... for now!

"Hey mom, take this shot!"

Squeaky clean!

Oops, he did it again!

We seem to be on a roll...this is Tooth #5! After losing #4, I asked Dominic if there were any more loose teeth (ya know, in case the tooth fairy needs to save up for gas!) and he showed me this one. At the time it wasn't very loose, but he wiggles the heck out of them. Lo and behold, this one came out just as easily as the other four. A little bloodier than the others, but considering this one was "knocked out" with a hammer, I see why!!! Yes, a hammer. Dominic was playing at his workbench with his tool belt on. I'm not sure how hammer met face, but he thought it was pretty funny!

Not quite a Seahorse...

...but still a Guppy. Dominic finished his 2-week swim lessons today. I think he did well for his first lesson on his own. He just has a few things to work on before advancing into the Seahorse class...like, not inhaling water! He's still a little shy going under the water to swim, but likes to bop in and out of it. Today was a "play day" in class and the instructors made a wave pool for them to swim across (or run!) as they forcefully diverted water using wakeboards. The kids love it. They played Sharks and Minnows, in which Dominic was one of the remaining "minnows" to survive; played a big circle of "motor boat"; and lastly, they got to go down the slide in the deeper water. Much to my surprise, Dominic managed to be the first to do this enthusiastically out of 2 classes attending. I was in such shock that he actually was going to go down it that I missed it!!! Apparently he went down with his instructor and I was too far away to realize it. I just saw him get out of the water (...and unfortunately headed off to get a band-aid from another instructor for a scratch on his elbow from rubbing against the slide on the way down.) He was done! He didn't want to do that again! I was proud of him for doing it anyway. I'm afraid the rest of the sessions are too full than he might have to take another Guppy class next summer. He'd be the oldest in the class, but perhaps by summer's end he'll be that Seahorse!

"Yeah...uh huh, I did it!"

Can you achieve Zero-G?

We opened one of Dominic's gifts today that he got at his party last Sunday. It's called a "Zero-G" by BlipToys. I've seem them at Target. Anything that has to do with any Law of Physics gets a "thumbs up" from all of the men in the house. Basically, this device lets out a stream of air in which you try to balance items on. The package came with two balls and a disc. Seen here, Dominic prefers the ball in the disc at the same time. He's gotten pretty good at it, but sometimes interrupts the air flow and creates frustration on himself in trying to get it going again. He was having a good time!

Yep, he's a clown!
(the ball is levitating in the air flow - cool huh?)

Our Dad's Day!

What a nice Sunday it was! After a 4:00 am feeding, spending the next hour trying to get Devin back to sleep and having Donovan come into our room at 6:30 am, I was up and making breakfast while Daddy got to sleep in a little. I was a bit jealous. The boys couldn't wait for french toast so they each had their bowl of oatmeal. Dominic, however, also had his french toast when it was ready. Daddy eventually got up for his breakfast.

After running some errands, we headed over to Grandma and Papa's house for BBQ'in'. Dominic had a good time running around with one of his Pokeballs and playing 'hide and seek' with Bianca, Kalyn and Matthew. We got a lot of Kodak moments and plenty of posing from willing participants.

Dominic with his Dad.

Papa with Dominic, Devin and Peyton.

Papa with his Avila grandkids.
(Dominic, Bianca, Sydney, Devin, Peyton and Donovan)

Papa with Devin

Papa and Grandma with ALL of their grandkids.
(Do you see the unwilling participant?)

Papa with his boys (...and mine too!)

We then headed over to Tio and Tia's for the guys' favorite empanadas and turtle pie! Gilda puts a lot of hard work into the empanadas, and they are consumed with delight. We watched Tiger Woods play the last few holes of incredible golf, then the NBA Finals came on. The kids headed over to the park to let out some steam and our day was pretty much complete. The boys are now sound asleep.

Amanda and Alex with Papa Gertie.

Papa Gertie with Dominic and Donovan.

It's going swimmingly!

Dominic started his swim lessons this week. He is officially a "guppy". Donovan will start lessons in July with a parent in the "shrimp" class.

I was a bit nervous with Dominic's class, as it is the first time he's been in a swim class without me there with him! I was afraid of the lack of attention he'd give toward the instructor. I'm glad I waited until this summer to put him in this class, since he seems to have that structure down now. In past swim classes, he's resembled a human pogo-stick in the water and often refused to do what the instructor requested. He's catching on and doing quite well (for Dominic) in this class. Yeah! He has one more week of lessons left and he'll be a "graduated guppy"!

If Dominic is a Guppy
and Donovan is a Shrimp....
What am I? Shark bait?

I just don't get this "Pokemon" craze. We got Dominic the electronic Pokedex, which is a "rolodex" of all the characters with facts about them. I could sit there and scan through each one, but frankly, that thing has already annoyed us. I will first figure out how to turn the sound off! And this is only ONE of TWO electronic consoles he got.

We also got him a "trainer kit". I sat down with Dominic this afternoon and set out the game play area, dealt the "cards" and read the directions of how to play. Could any other game have more instructions? There's just WAY TOO MUCH information shown to figure out how one pokemon attacks another. It says to start with the "BASIC" mode of play - and that was over my head!

Baseball cards.... I can do that! Why couldn't he find interest in baseball cards???

Anyone with me? I think I need to spend more time at The Parents' Guide to Pokemon site.

A Poke-Party

I'm Poke- partied out! What a blast we had... I think? After a busy Friday and Saturday preparing BBQ Pulled Pork for sandwiches and making cupcakes, by Sunday's end we were whooped. The boys slept great last night after all that sun and fun. After we got home, Dominic pretty much opened all of his Pokemon stuff and consistently plays with his electronic game that he got. He luckily got no duplicates and is beyond tickled with each gift.

We hope everyone else had a great time too. Once again, Grandma Gertie and Tio Phil outdid themselves with the photography. I managed to take.....SIX! I did shoot a little bit of video too. I look forward to seeing other pictures as well (Kristie!!).

Donovan kept track of the sports equipment, since Dad couldn't!

Vinny, the Nature Boy Wonder

Addison

Paulina, Gilda holding Addison, Amanda and Donovan

Cousin Amanda with Donovan

Amanda and Ana

Silly Peyton (Sydney was out "taking care of business" at this time)

"Married....with Children"
(...that's all that I could think of!)

The Three Amigos: Alonzo, Garrett and Dominic

Dominic takes a whack.

Ana releases the 15 lbs. of pinata filling.

Thrilled to bits!

I survived Kindergarten!

Phew! We made it! And thank goodness it's over and he's on to 1st Grade. Yikes.

Dominic and Mrs. Hooper

Our day didn't start out so pleasant. I was getting a little "tude" from the "turd" and was getting perturbed! Before we left the driveway this morning, I caved and took away Dominic's TV rights (which are too many) for the afternoon/evening. What was I thinking? This meant it would be ME that would have to entertain him, keep him busy and out of trouble once again. After an early dismissal, I got Dominic from school, took the above picture with his teacher (he didn't want any photos with friends - TURD!) and got home to a quiet afternoon without TV. It was quite productive though. Dominic filled his pinata for his party on Sunday, helped me with goodie bags, started making cupcakes (that ended when the egg he cracked went everywhere but the bowl) and sorted our recyclables.

First of all, we gotta make Devin happy.

...and he's whooped!

Mr. Happy

Safetyville USA

Last night Dominic went to a birthday party for his classmate Nichos. It was held at Safetyville USA, inside the capitol building. Very cool!

"The 1/3 scale town is complete with real sidewalks, crosswalks, streetlights, a police, fire and sheriff station, and businesses that can be found in any city."

There were plenty of head-on collisions and many traffic violations occuring, but that didn't stop the kids from having the entire place to themselves. They were worn out and had sweaty heads (the few that wore helmets!)

Cruising right along.

Dominic was born at Sutter Memorial Hospital and was under
the care of Sutter for his first two years.

First Violation: Leaving your vehicle unattended!

Has any 6-year old ever seen a phone booth?
(notice the receiver has been duct taped!)

There's no drive-thru at this McD's....just a drive-by!